Tabulating machine



Aug. 8, 1933. J. T. JONES 1,921,412

TABULATING MACHINE Filed Oct. 22. 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR BY ATTORNEY We Aug. 8, 1933. J. 'r. JONES 1,921,412

TABULATING MACHINE Filed Oct. 22, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 F 7 INVENTOR av ATI'OR Aug. 8, 1933. J. 'r. JONES 1,921,412

TABULATING MACHINE Filed Oct. 22, 1931 a Sheets-Sheet s EFIGA.

l 5 k; -ii

INVENTOR BY ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 8, 1933 UNITED STATES TABULATING MACHINE John T. Jones, Clifton,

N. J., assignor to The Tabuiating Machine Company, Emilcott, N. Y.,

a Corporation of New Jersey Application October 22, 1931. Serial No. 570,390

9 Claims.

The present invention is directed to improvements in tabulating machines and more particularly to improvements in machines of the type shown and described in the patent to G. F. Daly et al., No. 1,762,145, issued June 10, 1930.

It has for one of its objects the elimination of a number of operating cycles of the machine to the end that its eiliciency be thereby increased.

In the statistical work handled by tabulating o machines, the record cards are usually arranged in groups which are separately tabulated and the totals printed on a suitable report sheet. To eflect this, the items carried by the individual cards of each group are entered into a single 5 counter as the cards are successively analyzed.

Upon a change in the group designation the machine enters upon a total printing and reset cycle during which the total of the group is read from the counter and the counter reset. This procedure is followed for every group regardless of the number of cards comprising it, so that where there is a so-called single-card group the single item is transferred from the card to a counter and from thence retransferred to the report sheet,

all of which requires one machine cycle for counter entry and a second cycle for the total printing operation. Where the number of single card groups is comparatively large it is obvious that the efllcient operation of the machine is considerably lessened, due to the double cycles necessary to record single group items. It is accordingly proposed to eliminate the entry of singlc card group items and the additional operating cycle necessary to total print the same by printing the item directly from the card in a single cycle of operation. The item may still be entered into a counter for major totaling purposes.

This result is achieved by permitting the printing mechanism to operate and by disabling the automatic group control mechanism during the analysis of single-card groups. Each multiplecard group will be preceded by a so-called group signal card whose advent will cause interruption of the printing operation and the separate accumulation of the items contained in such group. The group signal card will also call the automatic control mechanism into operation to determine the end of the group and to initiate a total printing and resetting operation wherein the group total may be printed.

Following all the groups which it is desired to include in a single report will be a so-called major total card which will initiate a total and reset cycle to enter on the report a total of all the items of the several groups. Provision is made to record the single-group items, the multiplecard group totals and the major total in a single column as shown in the following example:

No. of 00 Group N 0. Amount was 5. 71 l 3. 30 1 2 60 l 18. 75 3 iii l 86. 12 Total To obtain such a report on former types of machines would require 31 machine cycles, while under the system as proposed but 22 cycles would be required, 1 each for the single-card groups, 5 for group 1214, 5 for group 1218 and 1 for the final total. The amounts of the single-card groups are printed directly from the cards themselves, the amounts of the multiple-card groups are printed under control of the minor counter which accumulates the separate items of the groups and the final total is printed under control of the major counter.

It is a further object of the invention to provide paper spacing control mechanism to permit printing of the successive items from the several sources on successive printing lines of the report.

A still further object is to provide means for automatically stopping the machine under control of the major total card, the machine being normally arranged to automatically restart feeding operations upon completion of any total print and reset cycle of operation. This feature permits the removal of the report sheet and the insertion oi a new one preparatory to resuming tabulating.

A further object of the machine is to provide means for delaying the discontinuance of machine operation upon actuation of the stop key mechanism when such actuation is concurrent with the printing of the totals 01' a multiple card group.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a section through the printing mechanism of the machine.

Fig. 2 is a detail of parts shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a. detail of the paper spacing control device.

Fig. 4 is a wiring diagram of the electric circuits of the machine.

Fig. 5 is a detail of the adding mechanism.

Fig. 6 is a detail of the counter resetting mechanism.

A clearer understanding of the present machine will best be had by describing the operation of the previous machines upon which the present invention is an improvement. Such a machine may be of the type disclosed in the patent to Daly and Page, No. 1,762,145, issued June 10, 1930, with the exception of the total taking and automatic control devices which will be described in detail hereinafter.

In the following description and in the drawings, the association between relay coils and their related contact points will be indicated by applying a reference numeral to the coil and the same numeral sufllxed by a lower case letter to its contacts. This does not apply to such operating magnets which incidentally operate contacts but which are not in the nature of relays.

During adding operations the machine is driven by a tabulating motor TM (Fig. 4) controlled by a group of cam and relay controlled circuits indicated at 10 and is driven during total taking operations by a reset motor RM controlled by a group of circuits. contacts and relays designated generally at 11. When the tabulating motor TM is in operation it feeds the usual perforated tabulating cards. bearing diflerentially arranged index points representing digits, first beneath the upper analyzing brushes U13 and exactly one machine cycle later beneath the lower analyzing brushes LB. By means of the group control mechanism indicated generally at 60, groups of cards, as represented by the same data entry in certain selected columns, may be operated upon separately, the items of each group being accumulated and the total of them taken before the machine begins operation on the following groups.

As the perforated cards pass the lower brushes their index points instantaneously close circuits through the proper lower analyzing brushes LB to energize counter magnets 12 (see Fig. 5). As usual the timed energizations of these magnets control mechanism for entering the data corresponding to the card reading on the counter wheels. When any magnet 12 is energized it causes contacts 13 to close energizing a printer magnet 14 to select the type corresponding to the entered data for printing. In this fashion the accumulated items may be listed. During total taking operations printing is controlled from the counters by stepped cams and associated contacts 15 in a manner well known in the art.

In Fig. l is shown the printing mechanism through which the type bar 16 is positioned relatively to the platen 1'7 to bring the proper type 18 into printing position opposite the platen. Fixed to the listing cam shaft 19, adjacent to the listing cam 20 is a clutch disk 21 provided with a notch 22 (see also Fig. 2). Listing cam 20 is loose upon the shaft 19 and during listing operations this cam is clutched to the shaft by the means which are now to be described.

Pivoted upon the listing cam 20 is a clutch member 23 normally drawn into engagement with the disk 21 by means of a spring 24. The member 23. is provided with a tall 25 which is adapted to cooperate with a shoulder portion 26 upon a rocking lever 2'1. Lever 27 is also provided with the usual rebound latch 28. For normal listing operations lever 2'! is in the position shown in Fig. 1. With the parts in this position member 23 is in engagement with notch 22 thus coupling the listing cam 20 to the shaft 19. In a manner more fully se forth in the patent referred to, the lever 2'1 may be held continuously in the position shown in Fig. 1. This is the position it occupies when the machine is set for straight listing followed by the taking of a total of the listed items. When the machine is set for tabulating, lever 2'1 is normally set in the position shown in Fig. 2 to hold member 23 out of engagement with disk 21. However, during a total taking operation the clutch is permitted to engage to drive cam 20 for a single revolution during which the group designation may be printed. To this end magnet 29 (Fig. 1) is energized during a totaling operation, actuating its armature 30 and an arm 31 integral therewith. Ann 31 engages a pin 32 in an arm 33 secured to rod 34 upon which is also secured lever 27. The consequent counterclockwise rocking of rod 34 will move lever 2'7 in the same direction, releasing member 23 for driving engagement with disk 21. Before a revolution of disk 21 is completed lever 2'1 will again swing to its "tabulating" position and member 23 will again be disengaged from its cooperating disk.

Having briefly described the previous construction, the modified construction of the present machine will be described.

Suspended beneath the base of the printing mechanism is a magnet 35 which has a springpressed. pivoted armature latch 36 cooperating therewith which. when magnet 35 is deenergized, will have the end of one of its arms in the path of a pin 37 carried by lever 27.

With the machine set for listing" lever 2'! will, of course, be adiusted in position as in Fig. l and latch 36 W1 have no influence over it. But with the mach e set for "tabulating" with lever 2'1 free to engage tall 25 of member 23 latch 36 may rock into position to hold lever 2'7 away from member 23.

Magnet 35 is normally deenergized for tabulating operations so that the parts occupy positions as in Fig. 1 and the list cam 20 will make one revolution for each card cycle. As heretofore explained the cards fed through the machine may be arranged with both single-card groups and multiple-card groups. with a special group signal card preceding each multiple-card group. As the single card groups pass through the machine the data thereon will be directly listed, the listing cam being coupled to shaft 19 and lever 2''! held out of engagement with the clutch member 25 by latch 36.

Referring now to.Fig. 4, a plug socket 40 maybe connected by a suitable plug connection 40' to the lower brush socket 141 of a predetermined column of the cards in which column the group signal card has a perforation in its 12 index point position. A double cam contact L9 is operated from list shaft 19 and is arranged to close its upper contacts momentarily at the 12" index point position so that if a group signal card is passing the lower brushes at this time the following circuit will be completed: From line 41,

cam contact P3, upper contact of stop key ST,

motor control relay contact 42a, upper card lever relay UCL2, lower card lever contact DCLywire 43, impulse distributor 44, wire 45, lower brush common 46, hole in the group signal card at 12 position, brush LB, socket 141, plug connection to socket 40, upper contact L9, relay coil 4'7, wire 48 to line 49.

Energization of relay 47 will cause closure of its upper points 47a to complete a further circuit from line 41, switch 50, upper contacts P8, upper points 47a, coil 47 to line 49 to form a holding circut for coil 47 until upper contact P8 opens during a total and reset cycle of the machine. Upon reclosure of lower contacts L9 a circuit will follow from line 41, switch 50, upper contacts P8, upper contacts 47a, lower contacts L9, wire 51,

cam contacts L10 now closed), magnet 35, wire- 52, to line 49. Parallel circuits will also extend between wires 51 and 52, through relays 53 and 54 and also through switch 55 (now closed) and magnet 56. Cam contact L10 will control the circuit through magnet 35 so that energization of the magnet will occur after the first data card of the multiple-card group has passed the lower brushes LB and certain of the data thereon listed, whereupon lever 27 will rock in a clockwise direction under the influence of its spring to engage member 25 and interrupt further operation of list cam 20.

From this point on the machine will operate under control of the group control mechanism GC and related circuits to accumulate the sum of the amounts contained on the cards of the multiple group. Before tracing the circuits in detail, the usual preliminary machine set-up will be briefly explained. It is first necessary in this type of machine to manually initiate a reset cycle to insure the proper relay set-up for starting. During this reset cycle cam contact LPG closes momentarily to complete a circuit from line 49, contact LPG, relay coil 57, reset motor control relay 58, upper card lever relay points UCLl and wire 59 to line 41. Energization of coil 57 will cause closure of its lower points 57a to form a stick circuit for the coil 5'7.

Opening of upper points 57a will deenergize coil 42, permitting its points 42a in the starting circuit to colse, thus permittingcompletion of the starting circuit to be effected upon depression of the start key S in the usual manner. The stick circuit through coil 57 will be maintained through several branches; either through points UCLl, contact T4, switch 60 or a circuit extending through points 61a, lower points 47a, upper contacts P8 and switch 50 to line 41. Another holding circuit may extend from coils 57, 58 to wire 62, group control contacts 63, wire 64 and wire 59 to line 41.

The upper card lever relay contacts UCLI and UCL2 are controlled by their respective relay coils shown in series with the upper card lever contact UCL. As long as cards continue to pass the upper brushes UB these relays will be energized to maintain relay contacts UCLl open and UCL2 closed.

For controlling purposes the group control unit GC has a magnet connected in series between the upper and lower brushes of the columns with control and where such columns in successive cards agree contacts 63 will close in a well known manner. Immediately following the sensing of all the index point positions of a card the circuit through contacts 63 is tested to ascertain whether there has been a disagreement in any column. This is accomplished by a momentary opening of contacts T4 at the proper time to shunt the control circuit to contacts 63. If one or more of these contacts is open which it is desired to at such time, the control circuit will not be complete and relay coils 57. 58 will become deenergized and the consequent closing of upper points 57a will energize coil 42 to open its points 42a to stop the machine. If automatic reset switch 65 is closed, the machine will enter into an automatic total taking and reset cycle of operations following which the machine will automatically restart it switch 66 is closed.

The foregoing briefly outlines the usual operations involved when the group control mechanism is permitted to function. It is quite apparent then that for every change in the group control number the machine will enter upon a automatic total and rest cycle of operations. Wherea run of cards contains a great many single-card groups, the number of extra machine cycles necessary to perform a total and reset operation for each such card reduces the effective productive efiort oi the machine. To prevent the initiation of a reset cycle during the passage 01 single-card groups the stick circuit above traced through coils 57, 58 and points 61a has been introduced to keep the coils energized regardless of the action of contacts 63.

Upon the sensing of the group signal card indicating the advent of a multiple-card group, lower contacts 47a will open as we have seen, thus disabling the stick circuit therethrough and allowing contacts 63 to control further machine operation. The data on the cards of this group will be accumulated and upon exhaustion of such cards the control circuit will break and a total and reset cycle initiated during which the total of the items for the group will be printed in the usual manner. During the reset cycle upper con tacts P8 open to drop the holding circuit of coil 47 and upon reclosure of upper contacts P8 the control shunt circuit through points 61a and lower points 47a will be reestablished. At the same time opening 01' upper points 470 will cause deenergization or magnet 35.

The plugging connections necessary to obtain the printing of the various "amounts of the example chosen will now he explained. In tracing these circuits the wiring for a single column only will be traced it being understood that similar connections can be made for a plurality of columns. Lower brush LBl which senses a column of the amount" field of each card has its socket 141 plug-connected to socket 70 of the major" counter.

A second connection 141' from socket 141 of brush LBl is made to normally open contact 71a of a group of contacts controlled by a multicontact relay magnet 71 in a manner to be explained. The connection continues from contact 'lla to socket 70 of the minor counter. A contact 71b, normally closed is adapted to be operated by magnet '71 concurrently with contacts 71a.

Assuming single-card groups to be passing the lower brushes with contacts 560, 71a and 71b in the positions shown, current will flow from impulse distributor 44, wire 45, common bar 46, brush LBl, socket 141, plug connection to socket 70 of the major" counter, counter magnet 12, contact 120, wire 72, to line 49. As usual energization of magnet 12 will open contact 12a and close contact 13 setting up the following printing circuit: from line 49, wire '72, contact 13, wire 73, contact 56a, wire 74, print magnet 14 of the "minor counter, wire 75, upper contact LP2, contact -7lb, contacts '76, to line 41. Thus the amount is entered in the major counter and Ill) printed in the printing bank associated with the minor counter. Printing from the major" bank is suppressed due to the provision of plugs 77 which are not connected at this time and which prevent completion of the circuits to the magnets 14. As long as single card groups continue to be sensed the above circuits will be repeated, the amounts being successively entered into the major counter.

When a group signal card presents itself to the lower brushes, printing will'be suppressed from the individual cards of the group so that the several amounts may be accumulated and only the sum thereof printed. Through circuits heretofore traced, coil 53 and magnet 56 become energized and remain so until upper contact P8 opens during the subsequent reset cycle. Magnet '11 is normally energized through a circuit from line 49, wire 78, upper relay contact 53a, magnet '11, closed switch 79, wire 80 to line 41.

Energization of coil 53 will open upper points 53a and close its lower points and since cam contacts L11 are open during the sensing of the index point positions of the cards, magnet 71 will be deenergized during the same period permitting the closure of its related contacts 71c and opening of contacts 711;. Energization of magnet 56 will open its related contacts 56c.

With these changes caused by a group signal card in effect, the circuits from the amount field of the cards following will proceed from brush LBl, plug connection to the adding magnet 12 of the major counter to enter the amount therein as before but since contacts 56a are now open no printing of this amount will take place. A second circuit from brush L131 will follow through contact 71a (now closed), minor" counter to the adding magnet 12 thereof and here also no printing will take place due to the open condition of contact 111). The amounts read from the cards of the group now passing the brushes will therefore be added to those already in the "major" counter and will also be separately accumulated in the minor" counter.

During the ensuing total printing and reset cycle the total of the group will be printed through the following circuits: from line 49, contact 81 (now closed), stepped cam contacts 15, print magnets 14, wire '15, lower contacts LP2, contact '16 to line 41. Incidentally the minor counter will be reset. The "major" counter not being coupled to the reset mechanism will retain the amounts stored therein.

The amount contained in the major counter may be printed following the listing of the amounts in the various groups. For this purpose a special total card is inserted after the last group to be listed. This total card has a perforation in the "11" or X" index point position of a particular card column whose related lower brush LB is plug connected to a socket 82 by a suitable connection as 82'.

Cam contact L12 is adapted to close at the 11" time in the cycle and if a hole is sensed the following circuit will be established: from lowerbrush LB to socket 82, earn contact L12, relays-'"2' 41. This circuit;' will be maintained throughout B3, 61, and 8430 line 49. Relay 83 will close its points 8311 to eifect a holding circuit through cam contacts L7 to wire 59 and line 41. Energization of coil 61 will open its points 610 in the control circuit to initiate a total and reset cycle during opening again until card feeding has resumed. Energization of coil 84 will close its points 84a. in series with points 850 whose controlling coil socket '70 of the which contact L1 remains closed, not "As 228m "The consequent opening of its points is in series with reset motor RM. At the beginning of a reset cycle therefore a circuit will be completed from line 49, wire '18, relay points 84a and 85a, switch 86, zero button magnet 9'1, wire 80 to line 41. Zero button magnet 87 is associated with the major" counter and is adapted when energized to couple the counter to the resetting mechanism for restoration of the former to zero after the amount therein has been printed. The construction of this clutching device is fully shown and described in the patent to C. D. Lake at al. No. 1,775,132, issued September 9, 1930 and no further explanation is necessary here. Energization of magnet 87 will also close a pair of related contacts 870 so that total printing will take place through the following circuits: from line 49, contacts 87a, stepped cam contacts 15 of the major" counter, wire '73, contact 56a (now closed), wire 74, print magnet 14 of the minor" counter, wire '15, lower contacts LP2 to line 41 as before. The total in the major counter will thus be printed in the same column as the single group items and the minor totals of the multiple-card groups.

Magnet 8'7 also causes the opening of a contact 87b in the automatic restart circuit so that after a total initiated by the total card the machine will come to rest and will not resume feeding cards as hasheretofore been the practice. The total card is inserted after a predetermined number of groups, suflicient for entry upon a single report sheet, and this stoppage of the machine permits the insertion of a new report to receive the subsequent entries after the machine is again started.

To maintain a uniform spacing of the printed items some of which may be printed under direct listing conditions and other under counter control, a magnet 90 is provided (see Fig. 3) whose armature has link connection with the usual spring-pressed pivoted latch 91. As in the patented construction latch 91 is adapted, when the machine is set for tabulating, to hold structure 92 in the position shown in Fig. 3 by engagement with a block 93 riveted to an arm of structure 92. A link 94 attached to structure 92 connects at its upper end to a ratchet and pawl paper feed devce of the usual type. Structure 92 may be rocked about its pivot 95 through an arm 96 secured to shaft 9'! which rocks whenever the type bars are elevated. It may also be rocked through a lever 98 pivoted on shaft 97 and actuated by a pin 99 which is carried by a gear on total shaft 100. Total shaft 100 rotates for one revolution during a reset cycle and pin 99 is so located that 130 it causes paper spacing after the total has been printed.

Referring now to the diagram of Fig. 4, the closure of lower contact P8 during the preliminary resetting operation will establish a circuit from line 49, magnet 90, relay coil 101, wire 102, lower contact P8, switch 50 to line 41. 0011 101 will close its points 101a to establish a holding so that latch 91 may swing in a clockwise direction to engage block 93 and hold structure 92 in the position shown in Fig. 3. Paper spacing is thus prevented while a minor total is being accumulated. During the ensuing total printing and reset cycle magnet is again energized, after block 93 has been released by pin 99 which strikes lever 98.

The machine may be stopped at any time in its operation by depression of stop key ST. Provision is made, however, to prevent such interruption following immediately upon the interruption of the automatic control circuit. To this end a contact 42b (Fig. 4) is provided which closes upon energization of its controlling coil 42. This as has already been explained will cause the machine to enter upon a total and reset cycle. To insure the initiation of such total and reset cycle a second contact STl is provided which if the stop key is depressed at the time a break in the control circuit occurs will nevertheless permit completion of the automatic reset circuit by forming a shunt circuit with contact 42b across contacts ST.

With switch 66 closed automatic resumption of card feeding will take place following the print-- ing of the major total. The mechanism for eliminating total and reset cycles for single-card groups may be disabled by shifting switch 50 to its dotted line position which will permanently deenergize space control magnet 90 and keep list cam control magnet 35 constantly energized.

While there has been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a single modification, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the device illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is .the intention therefore to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the following claims:

I claim:

1. In a machine of the class described, means for analyzing groups of successively fed record cards, means for printing data contained on said cards under control of said analyzing means, an accumulating device, means for detecting the presence of groups having more than one card and means controlled thereby for suppressing said printing means, further means controlled by said detecting means for entering the items of groups of more than one card into said accumulating device and means for controlling the printing mechanism in accordance with the sum of the entries in said accumulating device.

2. In a machine of the class described having card feeding means, automatic group control mechanism adapted to alter the type of machine operation upon a change in record classification, means for disabling the operation of said mechanism, means for detecting the presence of predetermined cards and further means controlled thereby for rendering said mechanism effective.

3. In a tabulating machine having listing mechanism and tabulating mechanism, means for analyzing groups of records, means controlled by said analyzing mechanism for causing operation of said listing mechanism during the analysis of single card groups, means for detecting the presence of multiple card groups and further means controlled by said detecting means for causing operation of said tabulating mechanism only during the analysis of multiple card groups.

4. In a tabulating machine adapted to feed promiscuously arranged single card and multiple card groups of records, listing mechanism and means for operating the same during the feeding of single card groups; means for detecting the presence of multiple card groups, tabulating mechanism and means controlled by said detecting means for operating the same during the feeding of multiple groups, independently of said printing mechanism.

5. In a machine of the class described having means for analyzing record cards arranged in single card and multiple card groups, printing means, adding means, means for detecting the presence of multiple card groups, means normally associating said printing means with said analyzing means during the analysis of single card 100 groups and means controlled by said detecting means for associating said adding means with said analyzing means during the analysis of multiple card groups.

6. In a tabulating machine having means for analyzing groups of record cards one or more of which may be accompanied by a control card, printing mechanism and accumulating mechanism controlled thereby, means for analyzing said control cards and means controlled thereby for no suppressing the operation of said printing mechanism during the analysis of the group associated with said control card.

7. In a machine of the class described having card feeding and analyzing means for sensing data on groups of record cards, accumulating mechanism controlled thereby, total taking mechanism adapted to be automatically initiated upon a change in group classification, automatic starting mechanism, means for sensing the presence of a predetermined group, and means controlled thereby to cause the machine to stop after the total taking operation incident to the analyzing of said predetermined record card group.

8. In a tabulating machine having a control circuit with means controlled thereby for automatically initiating a resetting cycle of operations when record groups change, stop means for stopping the operation of the machine and means controlled by said control circuit for preventing stoppage of the machine by said stop means when operation thereof is coincident with a record group change.

9. In a record controlled tabulating machine adapted for tabulating and listing operations; means for detecting whether records are to be tabulated or listed and means controlled by said detecting means for automatically changing the type of machine operation from listing to tabulat- 140 JOHN T. JONES. 

